I was recently watching an episode of Bizarre Foods that had a lot of interesting facts and information on the Seattle coffee scene. People in Seattle take coffee very seriously, and they should! It has quite an interesting history there and a lot of fun facts. Today I will cover some the cool things I learned from watching this foodie show starring Andrew Zimmern.

First, Seattle is home to the very first Starbucks ever! Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 in the Pike Place Market, that is located in downtown Seattle. The original Starbucks location decided because the Market is a historic district with design guidelines, the store retains its original look from the 1970’s! It is a pretty cool looking place and I would love to visit this store someday. However, as the show pointed out Seattle is also known for all of its Mom & Pop coffee shops! That is what really makes the city an interesting coffee-lovers place to visit.

One of the most impressive coffee shops in Seattle is Seattle Coffee Works. Seattle Coffee Works showcases a cafe and a tasting room. It is a place known for experiencing and experimenting with coffee in its richly diverse forms and varieties. They call the tasting room their “Slow Bar” and the Slow Bar is a place to explore if you have a serious passion for coffee and new discoveries. They like to compare such as a French-pressed Costa Rican to a siphoned Tanzanian to a World Blend Espresso Blend that includes South and Central American, East African, and Indonesian coffees. This is a coffee experience that is truly one of a kind!

Seattle is also home to Sebastian Simsch, who is known for making coffee the old-fashioned way, by using what is called the vacuum coffee-making method. It is a very precise art that utilizes water at perfect temperatures, testing tubes, and a whole lot of skill. Just watching this man make coffee is exciting. On the show he brewed a cup of Colombia Cup of Excellence Coffee where the beans were harvested from a small family farm and cost over $100 per pound! Mr. Zimmern said it was quite possibly the best coffee he has ever had!

Seattle is also home to the makers of “The Slayer” espresso machine that costs upwards of $20,000! It changes the flavors of coffee by simply changing the pressure at which it is brewed. If you are a true coffee lover, like me, Seattle may be on your next vacation destination wish list!

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Seattle”? You probably think about rain, Nirvana and Starbucks, or instantly see an image of the famous Space Needle. But of course, there is much more to this city that those things, however great they all are. Seattle is a great destination, a city you will love to explore. But be careful! It is easy to fall in love with the unique charm of this cloudy place. So much, you will never want to leave. Who knows, maybe it is the right place for you?

So let’s see what makes Seattle so special.

1. The views

The skyline in Seattle is really something to see. If it is not too cloudy, use your chance to see Seattle from above and go to the Space Needle to enjoy the views you will never forget.

2. Coffee

Seattle is one of the best cities in the whole world for you if you are a coffee addict. Here you can visit the original Starbucks shop in Pike Place Market (which is, by the way, the oldest farmers market in the country!) But it’s not just about Starbucks! Take your time and explore countless coffee shops around the city. Don’t miss Street Bean Espresso that helps homeless young people find a job.

3. Music scene

Everybody knows that Seattle is the grungiest city. It is in Seattle where Kurt Cobain lived and died. Groups like Soundgarden and Pearl Jam are also Seattle bands. Not to mention, it is Jimi Hendrix’s birthplace. With the roots like this, Seattle music scene is still thriving, and if you are a music fan, that’s the place for you to be. Seattle is also home to the Paramount Theater where many famous musicians filmed their concerts. It’s a great place to catch a Broadway show as well.

4. Unique spots

There are many places in Seattle that are truly special. For instance, here you can find spots like the very first comic book shop called Golden Age Collectibles. By the way, if you are into the comic culture, don’t miss the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle.

And again, speaking about music, every true music lover will find Easy Street Records just amazing. There you can spend hours deciding how many CDs and vinyl records of your favorite musicians you want to get.

5. Art

Seattle breathes art! Visit Seattle Art Museum and you will see it yourself. The museum demonstrated works of many great artists, such as Warhol and Picasso. And to party surrounded by art, you can visit SAM Remix and enjoy cocktails and DJ music while checking the art. Where else in the world is something like this possible?

If after reading this article you don’t feel the urge to move to Seattle tomorrow or better yet today, at least visit it to see all the uniqueness of this city with your own eyes. Seattle has a lot to offer to many types of people and there is no doubt you will find something you love in the Emerald City.

When thinking about building great logos, I am reminded of The Pyramid Complex at Giza. As the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was built over 2500 years ago, and they still stand as an impressive monument to human achievement.

In today’s modern world of branding, longevity can be achieved through the same basic geometrical foundation used by the ancients: the triangle. Modern branding wonders and perennial logo heavyweights such as Nike, Apple, and McDonald’s have stood the test of time by infusing their logos with a triangular structure that ensures lasting impact in the hearts and minds of consumers.

At the top of the triangle, sits the logo. Like the gold tipped pyramids of old, the logo is a beacon that reflects the glory of the brand onto all who see it. In a more functional light, the logo is simply an identifier that distinguishes one brand from another. Visually, the mark needs to be simple and clear but at the same time interesting.

Beneath visual aesthetics, a mark needs to be both ownable, meaning completely unique and distinct from any one else in the market place, as well as easily recognizable. Ultimately, the goal of any good logo is memorability.

Next, the top of the triangle leads down to the bottom ride side, the “story.” Once a brand mark is easily identifiable, it needs to tell an interesting story that is full of meaning and purpose. One of the best examples of great brand storytelling is the Starbucks mermaid. The symbol originated from the siren characters in Homer’s Odyssey, who lured sailors in with a beautiful song, just as Starbucks lures us in with the aroma of their delicious coffee.

The beauty of a brand story is, that while many consumers may not be aware it exists, it still serves as a great identifier for the brand. Even better, is the fact that those who do learn of the story behind the mermaid logo tend to become even more enveloped in the seductive nature of the Starbucks brand and in turn become loyal extensions of the story itself.

From there, a brand mark should be a symbol for a “Rally Cry.” Think Braveheart’s “FREEDOM!”, Jerry Mcguire’s “Show me the money!”, or perhaps “Remember the Alamo!” Regardless of the phrasing, a rally cry should motivate and inspire advocates to answer the very call that the mark embodies. A few years ago, Merrill Lynch tried to remove the bull from it’s logo after a recent merger and traders protested on the street. Why? Because that bull is more than an embellishment on their business cards. It is a deep emotional symbol for purpose. Eventually, a Rally Cry symbol becomes synonymous as an identifier for a brand’s purpose, passion, and promise.

To truly create a long lasting and effective logo for a brand is simple in structure and design. The logo design, the story, and the rally cry are by themselves somewhat inconsequential in the grand scheme of branding. However, when combined effectively and with purpose, they, like the limestone bricks of the pyramids, cease to become insignificant and instead come together to create something monumental and lasting.

A few week ago, I was sitting on the outdoor patio in one of our shopping district having one of their signature sandwiches, and I brought my own frappachino from down the street. Since I was sitting at the end table I noticed a gentleman delivering magazines and newspapers to various businesses on the street. They were those local regional advertising type publications, and he was making his rounds. Interestingly enough, I met up with him just the other day, and he’d come into Starbucks on a completely different side of town and we got to talking.

He told me that he had lost his job working for a local utility company, but he had his van, and it was paid off, and that’s why he was delivering those newspapers. He admitted to me that he only had a couple of dollars left on his Starbucks card, and was trying to get it from the heat into the air-conditioning, so he had himself a small cup of coffee house blend, and we got to talking about the various types of businesses that he might be able to start using his van, because the newspaper delivery gig was simply not paying enough money by the time he paid his insurance and the fuel.

Indeed, I explained to him that once upon a time I was in the mobile auto services sector, and I had franchised mobile oil change vans, mobile detailer units, and mobile car wash trucks. I explained to him that he could start such a business working out of the back of his van, and that he could do it on a shoestring. For instance if he wanted to get into the mobile detailing business all he needed was a water tank, a pressure washer, a portable generator, and a shop vac. He said he did have a portable generator and a shop vac, but he’d need to buy a plastic water tank and a pressure washer.

I told him he should go down to Home Depot and check out the sales, and he might be able to pick up a pressure washer there or at Walmart for around $100, even if he just bought a cheap Chinese version. The water tanks I told him he could probably order online from agricultural supply company, but it might take a while to come by way of UPS.

He thanked me very much, and told me that when he was younger he used to like to detail his own car, and he felt comfortable with that type of work. Perhaps if you own a van and would like to start your own small business because you’ve been laid off, this might be an idea for you. Please consider all this and think on it.

Opening a coffee shop is a pretty exciting thing, and something that can be very lucrative if done right. One of those key important factors in getting it right is developing your USP, or, Unique Selling Point. Your unique selling point is what helps you stand out from the crowd and draws customers to you despite the other coffee shop businesses that may spring up around you.

But how important is it? Is it worth spending a lot of time on, or can you wing it and hope for the best? Or, maybe even create it as you go?

In terms of determining the worth of developing your USP when opening a coffee shop, think about your personal favorite coffee shops to visit. If you are just new on the coffee scene and are jumping in because you see how lucrative opening a coffee shop is, think of another type of business that can range from generic to specialized. What draws you?

Personally I think that developing your own USP is absolutely crucial for success. It is what helps set you apart from the big giant coffee businesses like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. And if you notice, they both have their own unique selling points, too. If you are thinking of a specialty coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts is probably not the first thing that pops into your mind. But if you want a donut and coffee to go, Dunkin’ Donuts may just be it. Dunkin’ Donuts is also a great option if you want to get in and get out, and don’t need a specialty coffee such as a mocha or a latte. Now if you are wanting a mocha or a latte, Starbucks is probably going to be one of the first places you head to, if you don’t know any better.

I know, that wasn’t nice. But it’s true. Starbucks has a great coffee menu and often comes out with some stellar specialty drinks, but I sure don’t believe it is a coffee giant because they serve the best coffee, or even because their baristas are the most talented specialty coffee creators. In fact when I lived in Portland, OR, Starbucks was only used as a last resort. Why? Because another coffee company, The Coffee People, had better coffee and a better USP. Their slogan was “Great Coffee Without the Backtalk”. Their baristas were a little more edgy, and even though I’m a pretty conservative girl myself, I kind of liked it. Then there was their drink menu, with my favorite mocha being the velvet hammer. They also made milkshake versions of their coffee drinks, and used top of the line ice cream and Adams peanut butter. I would drive 25 minutes out of my way just to get one of those sweet pieces of heaven. No lie.

Are you a collector of vintage Gibson Guitars, then it might interest you to know that Paul McCartney’s 1964 Texan is not a cheap Epiphone replica. Recently, Starbucks Entertainment and Gibson Guitars held a national sweepstakes for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted Limited Edition Paul McCartney Epiphone 1964 Texan, which is a replica of the guitar that McCartney used to record “Yesterday,” as well as perform the song on The Ed Sullivan Show. McCartney consulted with Epiphone in order to ensure the guitar’s historical accuracy. In addition to the grand prize hand-painted guitar, McCartney also signed three other Epiphone Texans. The grand-prize winner, Rebecca Voss, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, exclaimed after being notified of her good fortune, “I couldn’t be more excited to own this guitar with Paul’s signature. I am a lifelong fan and this means so much to me. Thank you so much, and thanks to Starbucks and Epiphone Guitars!” For the curious, Paul still owns and plays his 1964 Texan.

Coinciding with the Starbucks sweepstakes, back on November 20, 2007, Gibson Guitartown London held an auction for 62 unique hand painted and signed Gibson guitars, including a 10 foot Gibson Les Paul replica guitar signed by Paul McCartney. The winning bid came in at 60,000 GBP – about $123,000 and about a quarter of the total auction revenue. The guitar, called the, “And The Crowd Goes Wild” is decorated with colorful figures of children waving their arms in the air. The body of the giant fiberglass guitar is red, with a black arm – also adorned with child figurines, designed by artist Rosie Brooks. The giant Gibson – not a cheap Epiphone was on public display from June – September 2007, at More London on London’s South Bank by City Hall and attracted over 2.5 million visitors.

Gibson released the names of some of the other well-known UK musicians who signed some of the other auctioned regular sized Gibson SG guitars for the charity event. The participants included Ronnie Wood, Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher, Rod Stewart, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, Mark Knopfler, Slash, Brian May, Ozzy Osbourne, Kaiser Chiefs, New Order, Kasabian, KT Tunstall, Depeche Mode, James Blunt, and Roger Waters. However, if you are looking to add this collector’s piece to your own – stop right there – it won’t be available on EBay anytime soon. Once the bidding ended and a winner was determined, he or she was obligated to donate the giant guitar to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. No the winner, Ari Goldberger, was not awarded with a cheap Epiphone, but a special Gibson Les Paul signed by McCartney at the event. An engraved plaque bearing Goldberger’s name was placed beside the 10 foot guitar now permanently a figure in Vintage Gibson Guitar history. The ceremony took place on December 7, 2007 as part of a Christmas fundraiser. The event, organized by Gibson Guitartown London, raised money for three children’s charities – Nordoff- Robbins Music Therapy, The Prince’s Trust, and Teenage Cancer Trust.

Today I’m going to be talking about making home made tea. We’ll be discussing how to make it from loose leaf tea and infuser balls. We’ll be discussing the benefit of making home made tea vs buying from tea/coffee restaurants like Starbucks or Coffee bean. We’ll be talking about what you need to buy in order to make home made tea, and the process of making it. Let’s get started.

Why make it at home? First of all, going to Starbucks and purchasing an organic black tea, every morning, is a $3 a day habit, $18 a week, $936 a year habit. That’s a ridiculous amount of money, even if you’re only drinking half of that amount, it’s still ridiculous! Making it at home is just way more efficient financially. You must also be aware of the social/cool aspect of Starbucks. There’s some validation you might be getting by going there and buying a drink, like it feels good to you. Let go of that and open your mind to other possibilities.

Another reason making home made tea is awesome is you can put whatever you want in it! Make your own concoction. My favorite thing is menthol crystals. It’s the stuff that makes gum taste so good, the cool airy-fresh flavor in mint-based stuff. It’s soothing on the throat and lungs. You can buy menthol crystals in bulk, along side loose leaf selections like organic black tea or irish breakfast tea, and put them together in an infuser ball.. Steep them for 1-2 minutes while you organize your kitchen or something before work, and you have a high quality tea for dirt cheap.

Some things you’ll need to buy are loose leaf teas like Irish breakfast tea or organic black tea. These have a decent amount of caffeine (about 30mg each). Remember, they’re dark teas so they’re essentially coffee alternatives.

Some special ways to make tea better are including non-tea ingredients in your ‘concoction’, so that’s stuff like menthol crystals, chamomile flowers, spearmint or peppermint. Makes green tea taste excellent, especially.

In conclusion, making tea at home is just way more efficient financially, and it’s also really fun, but most importantly its dynamic because you can make your own mixtures of teas and try new things. It’s really easy to get started, to be afraid of trying something new. Get some menthol crystals and some loose leaf organic black tea and have at it.

Latte Factor®, Automatic Millionaire®

Have you ever heard of the Latte Factor®? That phrase was coined, and trademarked by David Bach, the author of The Automatic Millionaire®. Written in 2004, this book reveals strategies that can help average people with average incomes and with no budget, to become millionaires automatically over a period of years.

As a former financial adviser who was endorsed by Dave Ramsey, I have met with thousands of people about their money. Without a close second, the most common problem we face in America is spending too much. Budgets typically only work for a short period of time because they require a great deal of self-discipline.

In chapter 2 of his book, David Bach came up with the Latte Factor® to help us determine where we are wasting our money daily, and what that money would be worth had it been redirected into an investment with an average 10% return over a period of years. By determining that factor, we ought to be motivated to begin that process.

For example; if you stop and grad a cup of coffee and a pastry at Panera or Starbucks on a daily basis, you are going to spend about $5.00 each day on that unnecessary item. So, let’s determine what that Latte Factor® is by investing that $5.00 a day ($150 a month) into an investment that returns 10% over time. Here is what that would look like after:

1 year = $1885

5 years = $11,616

10 years = $30,727

30 years = $339,073

40 years = $948,611

That’s the power of compounding interest over time! That’s the power of the Latte Factor®. Hope you enjoyed your latte!

By simply taking notes of one day’s spending, and adding the items that are considered wasteful you can use the same process to come up with your Latte Factor®. What if you wasted $10, $15, or even $20 a day. What would your Latte Factor® be if you invested it instead? The numbers can be really staggering, and Bach has charts in his book to help you with the math too.

This one amazing little strategy, set up to work for you automatically over time, can dramatically affect the outcome of your working years and allow you to retire with dignity. The book, The Automatic Millionaire®, has many other strategies that are easy to set up, and work automatically.

Apply this one strategy, and wait patiently to see the power it can have in your life. I wonder if it is possible to accelerate this and other strategies in order to cut the time from 30 or 40 years down to 15 or 20? 5 or 10? Keep checking in. You never know what is really possible.

Blessings,

Jerry Spangler

Looking for the best, most piquant cup of coffee the Emerald City has to offer? Well, look no further! Here are some of the most divine and tasty coffee shops in Seattle.

Zoka – With two locations nestled in the hearts of the Wallingford District and the U-District, Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company has award-winning baristas and one of the tastiest espresso blends found in the Greater Seattle metro area. Zoka also won the coveted 2008 Roaster of the Year award.

The Original Starbucks – Located on Pike Place, right across from the popular Park Place market complex, the original Starbucks coffee house has become somewhat of a tourist attraction itself. Since it's located in a historic district, the shop looks every bit the same as it did when it first opened in 1971.

Victrola – Their whipped cream made from scratch, infused with vanilla bean, and topped on their plain shot of espresso may just be heaven in a cup. The baristas at Victrola are also well-known for their coffee art, beautiful and creative milk drawings and writing.

Caffe Ladro – The Caffe Ladro Espresso Bar and Bakery is well-known for its inventive and tasty blends, such as the Yankee Dog … an Americano plus a shot of cappuccino foam. And with 13 locations throughout Seattle, you're never to far to drop in for a flavorful cup of joe.

El Diablo Coffee Co. – As Seattle's only Latin style coffee house, El Diablo is continuously serving up their signature hot (and cold) Cuban java. With myriad rave Seattle ratings under its belt, its eclectic atmosphere, comprised of colorful hand-painted murals and authentic Latin music, is ideal for getting down to work or just catching up with friends.

It wasn’t until I moved to the US that I started drinking coffee regularly and became what they call in the Netherlands a ‘koffieleut’, which translates literally into ‘coffee socialite.’ Although the average European drinks more coffee per year than the average American, the cultural importance and its effects on the average European seems to me smaller than that on the average American. After all, coffee is a cultural obsession in the United States.

Chains with thousands of branches like Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks dominate US daily street life. Especially in the morning (90% of coffee consumed in the US is in the morning), millions of white foamy cups with boldly imprinted pink and orange logos bob across the streets in morning rush hour and on the train. Coffee drive-ins are a saving grace for the rushing army of helmeted and tattooed construction workers. During lunch break, men and women in savvy business suits duck into coffee shops.

Students chill out from early afternoon till late evening on comfy couches at coffee lounges around campus. Police officers clutch coffee cups while guarding road construction sites on the highway. In short, coffee drinkers in the United States can be found just about anywhere you go.

This mass-psychotic ritual causes Americans to associate Europe above all with cars that oddly do not contain cup holders (to an American this is like selling a car without tires), or with the unbelievably petite cups of coffee European restaurants serve, so small that my father-in-law had to always order two cups of coffee. It is my strongest conviction that the easily agitated and obsessed nature of the ‘New Englander’ can be blamed on the monster-size cups of coffee they consume. Not without reason is the word ‘coffee’ derived from the Arab ‘qahwa’ meaning ‘that which prevents sleep.’ Arabs have cooked coffee beans in boiling water since as far back as the 9th century and drank the stimulating extract as an alternative to the Muslims’ forbidden alcohol.

These days coffee is second only to oil as the most valuable (legally) traded good in the world with a total trade value of $70 billion. Interestingly, only $6 billion reaches coffee producing countries. The remaining $64 billion is generated as surplus value in the consumption countries. Small farmers grow 70% of world coffee production. They mainly grow two kinds of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. About 20 million people in the world are directly dependent on coffee production for their subsistence.

Table 1: production in 2002/3

country % 70% Arabica

30% Robusta

Brasil 42.03% Arab/Rob

Colombia 8.88% Arabica

Vietnam 8.35% Robusta

Indonesia 4.89% Rob/Arab

India 3.74% Arab/Rob

Mexico 3.54% Arabica

Guatemala 3.1% Arab/Rob

Uganda 2.53% Rob/Arab

Ethiopia 2.44% Arabica

Peru 2.24% Arabica

Table 2: consumption in 2001/2world consumption % kg per capita (2001)

USA 30.82% Finland 11.01

Germany 15.07% Sweden 8.55

Japan 11.47% Denmark 9.71

France 8.89% Norway 9.46

Italy 8.59% Austria 7.79

Spain 4.90% Germany 6.90

Great-Brittain 3.63% Switzerland 6.80

the Netherlands 2.69% the Netherlands 6.48

Although the consumption of coffee per capita in the world is decreasing (in the US alone it decreased from 0.711 liter in 1960 to 0.237 liter presently), world consumption is still increasing due to the population explosion. Considering that coffee consists of either 1% (Arabica), 2% (Robusta) or 4.5%-5.1% (instant coffee) caffeine, the average American consumes at least 200 to 300mg (the recommended maximum daily amount) of caffeine a day through the consumption of coffee alone.

The place I frequent to down a cup of coffee is the Starbucks in Stamford, Connecticut. The entrance can be found on the corner of Broad Street and Summer Street, to the left to the main public library with its plain pediment and slim Ionic columns. The location right next to the library harmonizes with Starbuck’s marketing plan. At the entrance of the coffee shop a life-size glass window curves around to the left, providing superb voyeuristic views of pedestrians on the sidewalk. As you enter, you step directly into the living room area with stacked bookshelves against the back wall. Velvet armchairs face each other with small coffee tables in the middle, creating intimate seating areas. The velvet chairs near the window are the prime seats, which people unfortunate to score a wooden chair prey upon. At the back of the long rectangular room is the coffee bar and a small Starbuck’s gift shop. There is a dark wooden table with electrical outlets suited for spreading out laptops and spreadsheets, dividing the living room area from the coffee bar.

Since I have been cranky for weeks I hesitate to order a regular black coffee. It is very easy to get cloyed with a favorite food or drink in the US because of the super-sized portions served. The smallest cup of coffee is a size ‘tall’ (12oz.=0.35l.), after which one can choose between a ‘grande’ (16oz.=0.5l.) and a ‘venti’ (20oz.=0.6l.). Half a liter of coffee seems a bit over the top, and it sounds absolutely absurd to my European mind. I finally end up choosing a ‘solo’ espresso.

Sitting in one of the booth-like seats against the back wall, unable to obtain a prime seat, I feign to read my book while eavesdropping on conversations around to me. Three middle-aged men sit in three ash gray velvet chairs and converse loudly. A vivid dialogue develops, exchanged with half roaring, half shrieking, laughter. They mock a colleague in his absence and then clench their brows in concern while discussing the teeth of one of the men’s daughter. Two African-American women sit at a small table opposite the reading-table in the murky light, one of them with a yellow headscarf with black African motifs. Close to the entrance, in the seating area next to the animated conversation, a vagabond is playing solitaire. One by one he places the creased cards with rounded backs over one another, as if he attempts to stick them together. He rendered a couple of dollars in exchange for a small coffee to feel, in the warmth of the front room, nostalgia for a cozy living room and relives a sense of intimacy of having your own house.

It’s a bright, sunny, early autumn day, a typical New England Indian summer. Sunbeams radiate through the coloring, flickering foliage, and throw a puzzle-shaped shadow into Starbuck’s window. Autumn’s hand turns her colorful kaleidoscopic lens. The green ash tree near the sidewalk resembles, with its polychrome colors, somewhat a bronze statue: its stem sulphur bronze, its foliage intermittently copper green and ferric-nitrate golden. On the other side of the cross walk the top of a young red oak turns fiery red. These are the budding impressions of the autumn foliage for which Connecticut is ‘world famous’ in the US.

In the world of marketing and entrepreneurship, Starbucks is a success story. It is one of those stories of ‘excellence’ taught as a case study at business school. Founded in 1971, it really began its incredible growth under Howard Schultz in 1985, and presently has 6,294 coffee shops. But what does its success really consists of? A large cup of coffee at Starbucks is much more expensive than at Dunkin’ Donuts: $2.69 compared to $3.40 for a Starbucks’ ‘venti’. But while Dunkin’ Donuts offers only a limited assortment of flavors like mocha, hazelnut, vanilla, caramel and cinnamon, you will find exotic quality beans at Starbucks like Bella Vista F.W. Tres Rios Costa Rica, Brazil Ipanema Bourbon Mellow, Colombia Nariño Supremo, Organic Shade Grown Mexico, Panama La Florentina, Arabian Mocha Java, Caffè Verona, Guatemala Antigua Elegant, New Guinea Peaberry, Zimbabwe, Aged Sumatra, Special Reserve Estate 2003 – Sumatra Lintong Lake Tawar, Italian Roast, Kenya, Ethiopia Harrar, Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia Yergacheffe and French Roast. So Starbucks offers luxury coffees and high quality coffee dining, reminiscent almost of the chic coffee houses I visited in Vienna.

Every now and then, I grin shamefully and think back at my endless hesitation choosing between the only two types of coffee available in most Dutch stores: red brand and gold brand. Even up to this day I have no clue what the actual difference is between the two, apart from the color of the wrapping: red or gold. Not surprisingly, Starbucks appeals to the laptop genre of people: consultants, students, intellectuals, the middle class, and a Starbucks coffee is a white-collar coffee, while a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee is a blue-collar coffee. In Dunkin’ Donuts you will run into Joe the Plumber, Bob the barber, and Mac the truck driver. But what is it exactly, that attracts the white collared workers in the US to fall back into the purple velvet chairs?

I imagine their working days filled with repetitive actions and decisions within a playing field of precisely defined responsibilities. How many of the players in these fields get through the day with its routines for simply no other reason than being able to enjoy their daily 30 minutes-escape into the Starbucks intimacy where, for a brief moment in the day, you regain the illusion of human warmth and exotic associations of resisting the coldness of high finance?

For 15 minutes you fall back into the deep, soft pillow of a velvet chair and randomly, and alas how important is that moment of utter randomness, pull a book from the shelves. While, in the background, soothing tones resound of country blues, with its recognition of deep human suffering, a blaze of folk with the primary connection with nature and tradition, or of merengue reviving the passionate memories of adventure and love, you gaze out the window and ponder about that simple, volatile reflection in the moment, strengthened by the physical effect of half a liter of watery coffee that starts to kick in and the satisfaction of chewing your muffin, bagel, cake, brownie, croissant or donut.

It is, above all, that bodily ecstasy caused by a combination of caffeine, sugar and the salivating Pavlov effect. You remember the struggling musician behind the counter taking your order, the amateur poet as you pay her for the coffee and give a full dollar tip, feeling a transcendental bound in your flight from reality. You stare with a fastened throbbing of the first gulps of coffee at the advertisements and poems on the bulletin board, and dauntlessly you think: They are right, they are so right! and what do I care? Why should I care?

But then you look at your watch and notice you really have to run again. ‘Well, too bad, gotta go!’, or people will start gossiping for being so long away from your desk. And while you open the door, an autumn breeze blows in your face, the last tunes of the blues solo die out as the Hammond organ whispers: ‘I throw my troubles out the door, I don’t need them anymore’.

Coffee in the US is a subculture that massively floated to the surface of the consumer’s society. Starbucks is more than coffee, it’s more than just another brand on the market, it is a social-political statement, a way of perceiving how you would like to live, in other words it is a culture. Starbucks is the alternative to Coca-Cola and so much more than just coffee: it’s chocolate, ice-cream, frappuccino, travel mugs with exotic prints, cups and live music, CD’s, discounts on exhibitions and even support for volunteer work.